Gaming has come a long way since Pong, one of the earliest video games, based on ping-pong, released in 1972. These days, games are much more complicated and sophisticated — often with a “world”, a storyline, characters and music. Because of this, modern day games can take several years, potentially even an entire decade, to develop.
This means that growth on gaming stocks could be stagnant for a period of time but could see rapid growth over short periods, potentially in the run up to a game release or shortly after. If the game doesn’t meet expectations, the stock price may fall.
| Gaming stock | Icon | 1-year performance (to Dec. '25) | 5-year performance (to Dec. '25) | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) |  |
22.93% | 141.70% | Invest Capital at risk |
| Nintendo Co ADR (NTDOY) |  |
65.11% | 69.59% | Invest Capital at risk |
| Take-Two Interactive Software (TTWO) |  |
32.32% | 45.48% | Invest Capital at risk |
| Sony Group Corp (SONY) |  |
35.59% | 55.83% | Invest Capital at risk |
| Electronic Arts (EA) |  |
24.60% | 72.08% | Invest Capital at risk |
| Roblox Corp (RBLX) |  |
68.87% | 170.96% (3 years – 2021 IPO) | Invest Capital at risk |
| Frontier Developments Plc (FDEV) |  |
115.13% | -79.29% | Invest Capital at risk |
All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.
If you're interested in investing in this industry, take a closer look at what companies in this industry do and how the stocks have historically performed. Keep in mind that positive past performance doesn't guarantee that a stock will continue to rise in the future.
Microsoft might not be primarily known for gaming (so it's stock price won't purely reflect its gaming interests), but it's been pumping out Xboxes since 2001, and in 2023 it acquired Activision Blizzard. Activision Blizzard encompassed Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment, King, Major League Gaming, Activision Studios and was behind Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero and Candy Crush Saga.
Microsoft Corporation is listed on the NASDAQ, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around 293.8 billion and employs 228,000 staff.
Capital at risk
Perhaps the OG gaming brand in most people's minds, Nintendo is the Japanese company behind Mario, a red-overalled plumber who saves Princess Peach with the help of his brother, Luigi. In recent years, the Nintendo Switch, has sold over 150m units, surpassing the Wii (102m).
Nintendo Co ADR is listed on the PINK, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around $1.7 trillion and employs 8,205 staff.
Capital at risk
New York's Take-Two Interactive is a video game holding company which owns three publishing labels – Rockstar Games, Zynga and 2K, all three of which develop games. 2K is the company behind BioShock, Borderlands, Civilisation and Mafia.
Take-Two Interactive Software is listed on the NASDAQ, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around $6.2 billion and employs 12,928 staff.
Capital at risk
Sony Group Corporation designs, develops, produces, and sells electronic equipment, instruments, and devices for the consumer, professional, and industrial markets in Japan, the United States, Europe, China, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company distributes software titles and add-on content through digital networks; network services related to game, video, and music content; hardware and home gaming consoles, packaged and game software, and peripheral devices.
Sony Group is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around $13.2 trillion and employs 112,300 staff.
Capital at risk
Electronic Arts Inc. develops, markets, publishes, and delivers games, content, and services for game consoles, PCs, and mobile phones worldwide. It develops and publishes games and services across various genres, such as sports, racing, first-person shooter, action, role-playing, and simulation; and live services offerings, including extra content and subscription offerings through its global football and American football franchises, such as EA SPORTS College Football and EA SPORTS Madden NFL, as well as based on its IP comprising The Sims, Apex Legends, and Battlefield.
Electronic Arts is listed on the NASDAQ, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around $7.3 billion and employs 14,500 staff.
Capital at risk
Roblox Corporation operates an immersive platform for connection and communication in the United States and internationally. It offers Roblox Client, an application that allows users to explore 3D experience; Roblox Studio, a free toolset that allows developers and creators to build, publish, and operate 3D experiences and other content; and Roblox Cloud, which provides services and infrastructure that power the platform. Roblox Corporation was incorporated in 2004 and is headquartered in San Mateo, California.
Roblox Corp is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around $4.5 billion and employs 2,474 staff.
Capital at risk
Frontier Developments is a video game developer in the UK. It developed RollerCoaster Tycoon, as well as several sequels, including RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 – Wacky Worlds, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 – Time Twister and RollerCoaster Tycoon 3. 2023's Warhammer Age of Sigmar – Realms of Ruin was a flop, and Frontier's share price suffered as a result. But now the company says it is refocusing on creative management simulation (CMS) games.
Frontier Developments is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), has a trailing 12-month revenue of around $90.6 million and employs 696 staff.
Capital at risk
Gaming stocks are the shares of companies that develop and sell video games. Some game design companies are directly listed on the stock market, while some are owned by larger companies that are listed, so it’s worth looking into what other companies you might be investing in. The gaming industry is booming, and you don’t even need to be a hardcore “gamer” to contribute to it, even Candy Crush counts! New technology, such as VR, means that there’s always new ways to play games.
The gaming industry was one of the winners of the pandemic — what else were we all going to be doing with our time? Video gaming might seem a little childish or foolish, but it remains a growing industry that’s currently booming.
There are loads of different types of games, from mobile apps designed to kill time waiting for the bus or at the doctor’s, to sophisticated multiplayer games that require high powered computers. This broadens the target audience, which makes the industry more sought after.
This industry does well while companies are releasing new hardware and software — if there’s not much going on in terms of new releases, the stocks might be quite stagnant. This isn’t necessarily because the companies don’t have anything to show, they could just all be knuckling down on their products.
Some gaming companies might create gambling products — consider whether these match with your personal values. You can’t pick and choose parts of a company that you want to invest in, so if these are products you’d rather avoid, you’d want to steer clear from the entire company.
Gaming is everywhere — smartphones allow us to carry games with us all the time, and new hardware is being released every few years. Alongside this, games are becoming more and more sophisticated, often being turned into sequels, with additional downloadable content and expansion packs on offer, keeping the games fresh for consumers and pushing up revenue. Investing in gaming stocks might allow you to get in on the action, and could hopefully see some good growth in the next few years.
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